Fiat “ 500 Topolino, tipo A”, 1947
In 1934 Fiat gave the designers Antonio Fessia and Dante Giacosa the important job of designing a new small popular car.
Two years later the “500” was born, the smallest production car ever produced, with a tiny 569cc engine .
Commonly known as “Topolino” (Mickey Mouse), this new car was inspired by the design of her big sister, the 1500, introduced the previous year. Weighing just 535 kg and with independent wheels all around with transversal spring, the 3,21-meters-long Topolino offered the same comfort and performance of a higher class car.
The Topolino, sold at Lire 8.900, was Fiat’s answer to the national request for a popular car within the reach of the middle and lower Italian classes. Initially offered in the sedan, convertible, and van version, the 500A was later produced in two other series, B and C, with styling and mechanical modifications, until 1954 for a total of about 520.000 cars, and it was the first real Italian example of mass motorization.
The Fiat advertisement read Fiat: “I have got the automobile too. Fiat 500, the great little car“.
Luciano Nicolis used to say: “I found this car in Turin and they told me it was owned by the secretary of Vittorio Valletta, the president of Fiat“.
